Indians use big fourth to pull away from Crater

CENTRAL POINT — Other than a rough fourth inning, Crater fared well against Roseburg.

CENTRAL POINT — Other than a rough fourth inning, Crater fared well against Roseburg.

Unfortunately for the Comets, there's no subtraction in softball.

The Indians used an eight-run fourth inning to pull away and win the Southern Oregon Hybrid contest, 10-1, Tuesday at Crater High.

Crater starting pitcher Alex Sheperd allowed just one hit through the first three scoreless innings.

"Alex did a great job locating pitches and being spot-on with that," Crater head coach Chris Arnold said. "Roseburg has a tough hitting lineup. She got ahead in the count often. We've been preaching that to the kids and she did a nice job."

The Indians eventually caught fire. The Comets began the fourth with an error and then Roseburg recorded a single, fielder's choice and single to take the permanent lead.

Brittany Berryhill replaced Sheperd in the fourth.

"Roseburg is a really disciplined hitting team," Arnold said. "They do a great job of knowing the zone. We were a little too close with our pitches in the fourth inning and they made us pay."

Malorie Mitchell and Alex Craft were both 2-for-3 for Crater (7-13, 2-9 SOH).

Brittany Snyder's single up the middle in the fifth inning drove in Craft.

Baylee Wyscaver went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Makinna Akers 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Allyssa Hunt 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Indians (13-5, 7-3), who had 11 hits and no errors. Jacey Conklin added a solo home run.

NORTH MEDFORD 13, PHOENIX 1, 5 inn. — Pitcher Alexis Barkwell struck out eight and helped her own cause with two hits, including a two-run home run, in the nonconference game at North Medford High.

Barkwell was 2-for-2 with three RBIs, including the second-inning homer that was part of an eight-run explosion by the Black Tornado (19-1). Joci Ellis, Maryssa Becker, Katie Williamson added two hits and two RBIs apiece for North Medford.

Phoenix (14-5) scored its only run in the fifth when Kasey Hamilton drove in Makayla Scoggins with a single to center.